Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma negatively regulates liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy via the HGF/c-Met/ERK1/2 pathways

Zhangjun Cheng, Lei Liu, Xue Jun Zhang, Miao Lu, Yang Wang, Volker Assfalg, Melanie Laschinger, Guido von Figura, Yoshiaki Sunami, Christoph W. Michalski, Jörg Kleeff, Helmut Friess, Daniel Hartmann, Norbert Hüser

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6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor demonstrated to play an important role in various biological processes. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of PPARγ on liver regeneration upon partial hepatectomy (PH) in mice. Mice were subjected to two-thirds PH. Before surgery, mice were either treated with the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone, the PPARγ antagonist GW9662 alone, or with the c-met inhibitor SGX523. Liver-to-body-weight ratio, lab values, and proliferation markers were assessed. Components of the PPARγ-specific signaling pathway were identified by western blot and qRT-PCR. Our results show that liver regeneration is being inhibited by rosiglitazone and accelerated by GW9662. Inhibition of c-Met by SGX523 treatment abrogates GW9662-induced liver regeneration and hepatocyte proliferation. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) protein levels were significantly downregulated after rosiglitazone treatment. Activation of HGF/c-Met pathways by phosphorylation of c-Met and ERK1/2 were inhibited in rosiglitazone-treated mice. In turn, blocking phosphorylation of c-Met significantly abrogated the augmented effect of GW9662 on liver regeneration. Our data support the concept that PPARγ abrogates liver growth and hepatocellular proliferation by inhibition of the HGF/c-Met/ERK1/2 pathways. These pathways may represent potential targets in response to liver disease and could impact on the development of molecular therapies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number11894
JournalScientific Reports
Volume8
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2018
Externally publishedYes

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